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Food Safety

Plant health and biosecurity

Healthy plants are vital to sustainable agricultural and horticultural production. Without them we would not be able to enjoy green spaces, forests and natural landscapes.

EU actions for plant health

EU rules on plant health aim to protect crops, fruits, vegetables, flowers, ornamentals and forests from harmful pests and diseases (quarantine pests) by preventing their introduction into the EU or their spread within the EU.
The EU has common rules for:

The EU also provides funding to Member States facing an outbreak.

International cooperation

Plants are traded internationally and pests and diseases know no borders. The EU is a member of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) where it actively takes part in the setting of international quality standards for plants and plant products.

International Year of Plant Health 2020

The UN has proclaimed 2020 the first-ever international year of plant health to raise awareness of the major roles plants play in most areas of our lives – food, clothing, energy, and many others. An international conference on plant health co-financed by the EU will take place in Helsinki in July 2021.

Watch this video to learn more about EU actions to protect plant health.

Related links

Further information